Luminous

Chapter 2

"Please, go in, Uchiha-san. Hokage-sama and Uzumaki-sama are already waiting for you."

Shisui nodded at the secretary, walking past her without a pause. Of course, they were waiting. Today was the day, the day when Uchiha and Uzumaki clan heads met for the first time to negotiate the alliance between them in a form of a political marriage.

This matter could go either very well or very badly. Fugaku was hard to deal person on a good day, but with all the pressure from the clan, their patriarch all but radiated contempt and enmity day and night. He didn't bother to hide it even in front of Hokage anymore. While Shisui knew how strong Naruto really was, he feared that the petite and emotional girl like her would become an easy prey for Uchiha.

The teen stopped in front of the Hokage's office door and let out a deep sigh. The Sandaime agreed to act as a mediator in this crucial meeting, so there was hoping that he would help Naruto and she wouldn't get completely crushed.

The door suddenly opened with a whoosh so fast that Shisui was left standing in the doorway like an idiot with his arm lifted for a knock. A fist latched onto his shirt and yanked him into the room, catching him by surprise. Before his ninja instincts could kick in, the young Uchiha came nose to nose with the already familiar tanned face, framed by the scorching red hair, and his black orbs collided with incredibly blue ones.

Naruto placed both her palms just below Shisui's ears and tilted his head a bit to the side, critically inspecting his bandaged eye. Her arched eyebrows furrowed after a moment and her gaze focused back on his face. "What the doctors said? Will it be alright? Will your eye regain full function?" she questioned in one breath. Before the raven could insert a word, she gritted her teeth. "That damn Danzo, 'ttebane! I wish I could have just killed him there! I'm so sorry that I was too late..."

Shisui stared into those bright azure eyes, currently brimming with worry. It had been years when someone so openly showed concern over his wellbeing. His mother passed away soon after his father did several years ago. He had Itachi, of course, but, well, that guy never was that good at displaying his emotions. This girl, though, wore her heart on her sleeve.

The teen grinned. "Good day to you too, my dear lady," he greeted her cheerfully. "Is this how Uzumaki women greet the guys who might become their future husbands?"

"It's just you. I usually don't like touchi–" Naruto trailed off, blinking in confusion. She glanced at her hands still resting on the raven's face, then at his teasing smirk, and her eyes widened. She was suddenly very aware of their close, intimate proximity.

However, the girl didn't back away like Shisui had thought she would. Instead, the redhead stubbornly kept her position, even if slightly flushed cheeks betrayed her true feelings about their current position.

"D-Don't change the subject, you damn Uchiha!" the girl demanded, glowering. "It's not because I like you or something!" She paused, realizing what exactly she just blurted out. This time she did jump away from him, her face heating up. "I-I mean... I don't like you, 'ttebane!" she declared in a petulant tone before gasping. "No, that's just rude, I'm sorry! It's not that I don't like you, I do, but it's not because of that! ...Stop smiling! E-Even if I do like you, it's not in the way you think! Although, I don't know what you're thinking... But don't get any silly ideas, 'ttebane!" The further Naruto talked, the more embarrassed she got until finally, she hid her face in the long sleeves of her kimono dress.

Shisui was already grinning as wide as possible at this point. That must be the most hilarious way of putting one's foot in one's mouth he had ever seen. And so damn adorable!

"The hell I'm even saying?" the redhead murmured, her voice muffled by the fabric, barely audible. "It's the first time I feel like this... Do you know why, Kurama?"